A SALISBURY athlete is taking part in trails today in a bid to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.

Verity Ockenden will run in the 5000m race just after 3pm on Sunday, as part of the British Athletics Championships in Manchester.

At the European Indoor Championships in Poland earlier this year, Verity claimed bronze in the 3,000 metres. 

Great Britain’s Amy-Eloise Markovc claimed gold, while Ockenden was just pipped by France’s Alice Finot for second in Torun, while another Briton, Amelia Quirk, came fifth.

The British trio all registered personal bests, with Markovc claiming victory with a time of eight minutes 46.43 seconds as she and Ockenden secured the GB team’s first medals of the event.

British Championships

The event will be streamed live on the British Athletics website as athletes strive to qualify for the Games.

Laura Muir, Jake Wightman, Jemma Reekie, Elliot Giles and Eilish McColgan are among many in-form contenders in the middle-distance races, while British record-holders such as Holly Bradshaw and Harry Coppell are in action in the field events.

Wiltshire Council has tweeted its support for Verity, who is its Children in Care Council Ambassador for Sports and athletics.

The delayed Games begin on Friday, July 23, and end on Sunday, August 8.

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